Private Walls -- An Accidental Art Collector
Last month, Dinah and her husband flew to Bali looking for a koi painting to complement their new home. Instead they returned with nine different artworks, ranging from paintings to woodcrafts.
A successful banker in her early 30s, Dinah is new to collecting art. While she humbly adds that her collection is limited, it was clear that she knew her stuff.
A giant 200 x 110 cm koi painting greeted us the instant we stepped into her polished apartment. Before purchasing it, Dinah researched on price levels and studied the differences in koi paintings from Japan, China and Indonesia. Eventually, koi from Indonesia triumphed. Together with her husband, they stayed in Bali for a week to scout for the right painting.
Despite advocating the need to research when buying art, she had to admit that there have been impulse purchases. "I knew I had to bring it home the moment I saw it" she laughed heartily, referring to a "Fisherman" her first purchase from Indonesian artist, Wayan Suarmadi.
In the following interview, Dinah shares her buying experience, how she decides on the amount to spend for art and why is the attraction towards Indonesian art so strong.